Myles Garrett requests a trade

[BillsPride12]

10 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

It’s funny how quickly things changed once Daniel Snyder was out of the picture. I’m not sure if people understand how important ownership actually is. Literally every decision made in a professional sports organization is made by the owner or their vision at least. They ultimately decide what can or cannot happen. 

Unfortunately I know all of us Sabres fans on the board understand it all too well😭

[Rocky Landing]

On 3/5/2025 at 8:18 AM, BarleyNY said:

 

I’m going to roll some additional insights I’ve gotten into this response. So it’s gonna be long. 

 

I don’t see any negative long term consequences for playing hardball with Garrett. Money talks to players and agents and the Browns spend. No player is walking away from a couple million extra dollars because the Browns made a player play out his contract. If a FA doesn’t want to sign with the Browns because they’re a crapshow, well, that’s already the case. This changes nothing.

 

The issues are thus:

- 2 years left on his contract. That’s four years of control with tags. The players gave up a lot of their ability to force trades like this in the last CBA.

- The Browns were prepared to make him the highest paid defender in league history. He’ll be leaving a ton of guaranteed money on the table if he doesn’t resolve this in some way.

- A big facet of this is agents and players trying to gain a much bigger say in the way teams are run. Similar to the NBA. It should be no surprise that Myles has been talking a lot with Lebron. It should come as no surprise to see the Browns targeted for this since they already bucked league standards by giving Watson a fully guaranteed five year contract. What better team to go after?

- Here’s the biggest issue. If the Browns trade Garrett it destroys their cap flexibility. As of now his contract can provide relief. That’s the case whether it stays as is or gets replaced by a new one. If he’s traded they get hit with a huge charge. Double whammy. So if he’s traded, then they’re looking at a tear down and 2-3 year rebuild. There’s no way that Berry and Stefanski survive that. The decision would have to be Haslam’s alone and he’s not tanking the team while trying to get a stadium deal done. All three of them are vested in having a decent 2025 season at minimum. 

- The recent statement by Garrett’s agent seems to be nothing more than a response to Berry’s comments at the Combine. They couldn’t do nothing. But it doesn’t mean anything new either. Notably they reiterated the they were not interested in an extension. Prior to that word was that he would get a new contract with the old one torn up. So there’s some cover there for the agents. 

- I know Beane and many other GMs have inquired, but Berry has not engaged any of them. No listening to offers. Just “no”.

 

So the likely outcome is that this simmers for a while, the Browns make some moves (FA, trade, draft) and it gives Garrett cover to say that the Browns did what he demanded (to some degree at least). Then he can take his huge new truck of money or, if he still really wants out, kick the can a year when it at least would be possible to trade him. That’s what I have so far. 

The Browns just cleared $35+M in cap space by restructuring Albatros Watson's contract. The inevitability of that move notwithstanding, I wonder if this doesn't make it easier to deal Garrett, post 6/1? 

 

As concise as your analysis is, it's still pretty hard to predict what an organization with such a history of poor decision-making is going to do...

[BarleyNY]

58 minutes ago, Rocky Landing said:

The Browns just cleared $35+M in cap space by restructuring Albatros Watson's contract. The inevitability of that move notwithstanding, I wonder if this doesn't make it easier to deal Garrett, post 6/1? 

 

As concise as your analysis is, it's still pretty hard to predict what an organization with such a history of poor decision-making is going to do...

 

These kinds of restructures are necessary for teams with such aggressive salary cap management, like the Eagles who the Browns are trying to emulate. Unfortunately for Garrett and the teams that would love to acquire him, it makes trading players like him extremely difficult unless they are at the end of their contract. The only thing that makes a trade even remotely possible is that they insured Watson’s contract. They are due $13.6M credit this season from his injury last year and if he misses this season they’ll get $44.3M back in 2026. But I still don’t see it. If he gets back partway through the season, then that number reduces and it’s still crippling to trade him now. And what playoff caliber team is going to save cap space and wait until 6/2 to make a trade for him? That’s not happening. 

[Kirby Jackson]

1 minute ago, BarleyNY said:

 

These kinds of restructures are necessary for teams with such aggressive salary cap management, like the Eagles who the Browns are trying to emulate. Unfortunately for Garrett and the teams that would love to acquire him, it makes trading players like him extremely difficult unless they are at the end of their contract. The only thing that makes a trade even remotely possible is that they insured Watson’s contract. They are due $13.6M credit this season from his injury last year and if he misses this season they’ll get $44.3M back in 2026. But I still don’t see it. If he gets back partway through the season, then that number reduces and it’s still crippling to trade him now. And what playoff caliber team is going to save cap space and wait until 6/2 to make a trade for him? That’s not happening. 

Paging Jeff Gillooly, you have a Mr. Haslem on line 1

[BarleyNY]

9 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Paging Jeff Gillooly, you have a Mr. Haslem on line 1

 

Hey doc, that’s a pretty sweet surgery gig you got there. It’d be a shame if something happened and you couldn’t do that no more……

[TBBills Fan]

[Stretch]

That tweet is fake if you didn’t know, the author even admits it in the comments.

[Ballsy]

16 hours ago, BarleyNY said:

 

These kinds of restructures are necessary for teams with such aggressive salary cap management, like the Eagles who the Browns are trying to emulate. Unfortunately for Garrett and the teams that would love to acquire him, it makes trading players like him extremely difficult unless they are at the end of their contract. The only thing that makes a trade even remotely possible is that they insured Watson’s contract. They are due $13.6M credit this season from his injury last year and if he misses this season they’ll get $44.3M back in 2026. But I still don’t see it. If he gets back partway through the season, then that number reduces and it’s still crippling to trade him now. And what playoff caliber team is going to save cap space and wait until 6/2 to make a trade for him? That’s not happening. 

Is the insurance payout Cleveland receives cash only, or does the insurance reduce the salary cap implications?

[BarleyNY]

1 hour ago, Ballsy said:

Is the insurance payout Cleveland receives cash only, or does the insurance reduce the salary cap implications?

Yes, they get salary cap credit but it is given the following season. Not sure of the timing of the cash. Adjustments on OTC & Spotrac usually come in all together and hit around the start of the league year. So we should see them soon. 

Edited Friday at 12:35 PM by BarleyNY

[LLCoolCy]

Escalating… 

 

[TBBills Fan]

47 minutes ago, LLCoolCy said:

Escalating… 

 

It's gonna get ugly.  And that is gonna cost cleveland assets in the end.  The more and more it becomes public, the less and less they will be able to get compared to what they could get right now. 

 

Browns gonna Brown

 

If they were smart, they would be playing hardball and seeing the craziest offer they could get right now

[TheFunPolice]

Just like I thought...

 

The Browns pride is going to get in the way of them making bank on this trade. 

 

If the player 100% wants out he will get out eventually. The league will put pressure behind the scenes if need be. A superstar player not playing is bad, and all the ugliness is also bad. Plus it could put the idea in players' heads that they need more power when it comes to contracts in the next CBA negotiation. 

 

If the team can cut a guy, why can't a guy terminate the contract? 

 

They should just open the bidding right now and let all 31 other teams make an offer. Someone would get stupid (like the Browns did with Watson a few years ago)

Edited Friday at 02:45 PM by TheFunPolice

[Dillenger4]

Go get Hendrikson from Cincy! Make it happen Pegula!

[Warriorspikes51]

with some semblance of seriousness....

 

go get Hendrickson for our 2nd

then monitor Garrett... it's possible the nonsense from the Browns will bring down his trade cost in August 

Get them both.  End the AFC. 

[BarleyNY]

A side note to this all, but it might be funny to see play out. Garrett is a minority owner of the Cavaliers and loves to be court side for games. The Cavs are the best team in the NBA and will likely have the #1 seed in the East. Their path to the Finals is very manageable and they are one of the favorites to win it all. So how’s that going to go? Can Garrett even go to the games? If he does, how will the fans treat him? Will he be a distraction to the Cavs? It’s just a weird situation. But maybe there will be some comedy to be had. 

[Alphadawg7]

Feels like this could drag out a while between Myles and Browns...I wouldn't wait around waiting for it though.  Sure, keep contact, keep trying like they did with Diggs when they were originally rebuffed by Vikings on their first attempt to get him.   But, I would also be trying to see if we can get Hendrickson from the Bengals in the mean time.  I know they probably prefer to not send him here, or to any contender in the AFC, but make the best offer and force them to make that decision because that team needs a lot of help, so make them have to decide between us or taking less.  

 

  

[colin]

50 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

with some semblance of seriousness....

 

go get Hendrickson for our 2nd

then monitor Garrett... it's possible the nonsense from the Browns will bring down his trade cost in August 

Get them both.  End the AFC. 

 

would you let groot walk in that scenario?

 

a potential 3rd down package of hendrickson oliver groot garrett is just silly.  you could put so many different packages up front with that, heavy boxes to blitz, heavy boxes to drop off into coverage and just make the qb have to attempt a couple of reads, light boxes with the back 7 running up to fill (mcd's fave) or just light boxes daring them to run and being happy when they do (that's after you get a 14 point lead).  has there ever been a 60 sack dline?

[Warriorspikes51]

2 minutes ago, colin said:

 

would you let groot walk in that scenario?

 

a potential 3rd down package of hendrickson oliver groot garrett is just silly.  you could put so many different packages up front with that, heavy boxes to blitz, heavy boxes to drop off into coverage and just make the qb have to attempt a couple of reads, light boxes with the back 7 running up to fill (mcd's fave) or just light boxes daring them to run and being happy when they do (that's after you get a 14 point lead).  has there ever been a 60 sack dline?

 

If we already had Hendrickson, I'd trade Groot and picks for Garrett.  It's a virtual 0% chance of happening though 

Edited Friday at 04:19 PM by Warriorspikes51

[DrDawkinstein]

CLASSIC HASLAM!

[BarleyNY]

2 hours ago, LLCoolCy said:

Escalating… 

 

 

Honestly, this is one of the first not stupid things that I’ve seen from Haslam. Under no circumstances should an owner meet privately with a player about business at the player’s request.